Spanish Courses Mexico: Learn Spanish in San Cristóbal, Mexico

Course Prices Accommodation Prices School Facilities Course Details Accommodation Details

Learn Spanish in San Cristóbal, Mexico

San Cristóbal de las Casas lies in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, high in the mountains, surrounded by pine forests. With its cobblestone streets and its red-tile roofs, San Cristóbal is a mix of 16th century, Spanish influences and a vivid, colorful indigenous culture. You'll find beautiful churches, cathedrals and buildings, and the largest indigenous market in northern America, where the indigenous people from surrounding villages come daily in colorful, traditional clothing to sell their fruits, vegetables and crafts.

The climate is different from other parts in Mexico: During the rainy season (May to October), you have a mild climate with usual sunny days, but rainy afternoons. During the dry season (October to May), you have beautiful, sunny and warm days, but chilly nights and no rain. All this makes San Cristóbal an ideal place to learn Spanish in Mexico.

You can get to San Cristóbal by either air or bus. There are regular flights from Mexico City to Tuxtla Guiterrez, the capital of Chiapas. It is then two hours by bus to San Cristóbal. There is now a direct flight daily from Mexico City to the new airport in San Cristóbal. Buses in Mexico are comfortable, plentiful and convenient. Let us know if you need more information on how to get to our school. We offer airport pick-up from the airports of Tuxtla Gutierrez and San Cristóbal de las Casas.

Our Spanish school in San Cristóbal, Mexico is happy to help you plan day trips to the surrounding villages and archeological sites and also weekend trips to the jungle or to Palenque, visiting waterfalls and going on boat tours. There are many places to visit, and lots to see!

Spanish Courses in San Cristóbal, Mexico - Fees

Our Spanish School in San Cristóbal, Mexico

Our aim is to make your stay with us as successful and pleasant as possible. That means: High quality Spanish language classes, providing Mexican families where you feel comfortable and giving you any assistance you need regarding travel, leisure, and other personal needs.

We rely on you, the students, to give us feedback regarding your teachers, your family, or whatever else you need. You may change any arrangements until you feel that this is the language learning experience you want for yourself.

In addition to your Spanish instruction you can sign up for the following classes:

• Mexican cooking
• Arts and Craft Classes
• Backstrap loom weaving
• Jewelry making with amber and silver
• Leather work

The instructors of these classes do not speak English, so a little Spanish is helpful.

Additionally, you can sign up for “intercambios”. At a time convenient for you, you can meet our Mexican English students and teach them English for half an hour and then they teach you Spanish for half an hour. No money is exchanged.

Usually once a week, we offer a presentation relevant to Chiapas. The talks are either in English or in Spanish (we provide translators). The presentations are free of charge.

Our Spanish Courses in San Cristóbal, Mexico

At our Spanish school in San Cristóbal, Mexico, we have been teaching Spanish to students from all over the world since 1993. We pride ourselves on our friendly and relaxed study atmosphere, and do our best to make your time with us as fun as it is profitable. All of our teachers are specially trained second language teachers, but they all also speak fluent English, necessary sometimes to explain some concepts.

We offer one-on-one Spanish instruction and group instruction. Our Spanish courses are set up to accommodate individual learning styles, personal interests and preferences. Some of our students want to learn ‘survival Spanish' for their travels, others prefer to study the language in all its complexities. There are others that need their Spanish as bilingual teachers, physicians or other professions.

We don't use one particular textbook for all students, but a variety of textbooks, exercises, books and other learning materials. All these materials are available to students to study outside of their class time and to make copies to study at home. We don't have a set policy for homework; students do as much as they wish, in agreement with their teachers.

Our suggestion would be that if you want to study three hours of individual Spanish classes daily, you take two instructors: One and a half hours with one, one and a half hours with another one. The reasons are varied: Because we don't use just one textbook for everyone, different instructors use different materials, and even if they cover similar areas with you in the classroom, they will give you the repetition you need in an interesting way.

If you would like to have just one instructor, you may do so too, but we have very good experiences with changing instructors. Depending on availability, you can either take your three hours of instruction together, or you can have one and half hours in the morning, then have a break, and then have another one and a half hour session later.

As we usually work like this, our days are organized in one and a half-hour sessions. You may choose any two sessions during the day: We just ask you to define your schedule for one week.

The spots are: 9-10.30 a.m., 10.30-12, 12-1.30 p.m. (between 2 and 4 p.m. we close for lunch), 4-5.30 p.m. and 5.30-7 p.m.

Our school in San Cristobal also offers packages for the medical professions, teaching and social service professions.
Class packages are with either 3 hours of individual or standard group classes daily plus one individual hour daily focusing on specialized communication within your professions and one weekly visit to a hospital, school, social service agency or NGO. All special packages cost an additional US$ 70.00 per week. Please contact us for further details.

NOTE: Group classes are only offered from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Homestay Packages

3 hours daily individual or small group classes (2 to 5 people), Monday through Friday, and homestay with a private room and all meals for one week.

Learn Spanish in San Cristóbal, Mexico - Accommodation

The vast majority of the students studying Spanish with us in San Cristóbal choose to stay with a Mexican family in a home stay. We would certainly suggest this option as you will maximize your contact with Mexican people, learn about daily life and practice your Spanish.

All of our families are within walking distance from the center of town.

In general we place just one student per family, so that you have maximum exposure to the language, but if you prefer to live with another student, you may do so, too.

You always have a private room (usually share a bathroom), and share all the meals with the family. We only offer home stay together with Spanish classes and for a minimum of one week. After that week, you can add days as required.

If you choose not to stay with a family, accommodation is easily available in hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts in San Cristobal and ranges in price from $10 US per night upwards. We are happy to help you find something which suits your needs and budget.

Please note: All prices are quoted in US dollars. For the equivalent in your currency, please visit www.xe.com/ucc.